Kiss Me I'm Irish
by FelgaHelzio96
Summary: Jack and Fabrizio weren't the only ones who found love on the Ship of Dreams. Tommy Ryan meets his dream girl and reveals his deepest desires to her.


_**A/N: James Cameron owns Titanic and its characters... but I do own my OC. Also, "Star of the County Down" is in the public domain, and I modified it a bit to fit this particular fanfic.**_

_**I decided to write another Tommy/Shannon one-shot! :D Hope you enjoy!**_

_**Btw, this will be different from the ways they meet in The Flautist and Titanic 97 From DVD To FFN. I'm going to say that the way they meet in Titanic 97 DVD To FFN during the sinking is my canon meeting scenario for them. (This isn't present day as you can probably tell from the two stories I just compared it to, I'm bringing Shannon back to 1912 again!)**_

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><p>It was the morning of April 13th, 1912. Nine o'clock to be exact. 21-year-old Tommy Ryan had just finished breakfast in the third class dining saloon, and was now on his way up to the steerage deck with his new friend, 19-year-old Fabrizio De Rossi.<p>

He'd met Fabrizio a couple of days ago. He'd been out on the deck and struck up a conversation with not only the amicable Italian man, but also his travel companion, a 20-year-old artist named Jack Dawson. Currently, Jack was still asleep and had not come down to breakfast, so Tommy said he would keep Fabrizio company.

"Let's sit over here, I feel like people watching," Tommy suggested, nodding towards a free deck bench.

"Si, okay," Fabrizio agreed, sitting down beside him.

"So..." Tommy started, a mischevious smirk across his face as he glanced sideways at Fabrizio. "Do anything special with Helga last night?" he asked.

Fabrizio's face turned a deep shade of red. "Hey a' who told you?" he demanded, awkwardly scratching behind his left ear.

Tommy bust out laughing and slapped his knee. "No one. I'm just guessing since ya seemed so eager 'ta leave the party with 'er," he replied.

Fabrizio stood up and crossed his arms. "Jack told you, si? 'Da sneaky bastardo!"

Tommy shook his head with an eye roll. "No, no! I swear. Besides... I haven't even spoken 'ta Jack since he left the party last night with the ginger haired first class girl, Rose or whatever her name was," he insisted.

Just then, before Fabrizio could say anything else, someone came up behind him and covered his eyes. Tommy recognized Helga Dahl, an 18-year-old Norwegian girl, whom his Italian friend hadn't been able to keep his eyes (or hands for that matter) off of since officially meeting her the day before.

"Gjett hvem," she whispered.

"Hmm... lemme see... is it you, bella Helga?" Fabrizio asked with a grin.

She nodded and uncovered his eyes. "Ja!" Helga giggled and stepped to the side.

That was when Tommy realized there was another girl standing next to her. The other girl wore her long strawberry blonde hair up in a bun, as most of the older girls on the ship did, and her eyes were a bright ocean blue color. She looked to be around Helga's age.

"Dette er Shannon," Helga told them.

"Is a' nice to meet you, I am Fabrizio," Fabrizio shook her hand.

"Pleasure, Tommy Ryan is the name," Tommy added, also shaking her hand.

"Hello, I'm Shannon O'Neal," Shannon said with a smile.

"So, yer friends with Helga here?" Tommy asked curiously.

"Sort of, we met this morning in the general room," Shannon explained.

Suddenly, Tommy realized that she was speaking with an Irish accent. "Where ya from lass?" he asked with a wide grin.

Shannon laughed at his pleased expression. "I'm from County Sligo, which part are you from?" She smiled at him again.

"Kildare," Tommy replied. "Are ya travelling alone, then? Or with yer family?" he asked.

"I'm here with my cousin Margaret, the rest of our family is already in New York," Shannon told him. "Father had a few extra tickets, but we wanted to sail on the Titanic," she added, sitting down on the bench beside him.

"Well, Titanic is a fine ship. It's an Irish ship, ya know," Tommy said with a sly wink.

"I did, fifteen thousand Irishmen worked on it in Belfast," Shannon replied with a prideful nod.

Realizing that neither Fabrizio nor Helga had said anything for a few minutes, Tommy glanced over his shoulder, only to discover that they had already left. He shook his head and smiled, realizing that he'd been set up.

"So, are ya excited to go to America?" he asked her.

"Yeah, I suppose. I miss Ireland already, but I've got to follow my family. Father said there was no future for us back home, he said America is the promise land, so here I am," Shannon replied with a shrug. "What about you? Who are you coming over with?" she asked.

"Just myself, believe it or not," Tommy laughed. "I hope 'ta find work in the city and send the money I earn back home to me family," he added.

"So your family stayed in Kildare, then?" Shannon asked him.

"Yeah," Tommy nodded and lit a cigarette. "Want one?" he offered.

"No thank you," Shannon said. "I don't smoke, I've tried it before but it made me sick," she explained.

"Ah, I see," Tommy nodded again.

"So... what are your dreams, Tommy Ryan? What is your most desperate desire?" Shannon asked him after a few seconds of silence.

"Well... I've always liked 'ta sing and play the guitar, but truth be told, I've never really felt comfortable playing in front of a lot of people. I suppose some day I'd like 'ta share me love a' music with the world without feelin' all jittery an' shite," Tommy admitted, awkwardly looking at his feet.

Shannon nodded as he spoke, genuinely interested in what he had to say. "Did you bring your guitar on the ship by chance?" she prodded.

Tommy looked back up at her, a bit taken aback by her question. "I did, actually. It's the only thing I have of any real value," he replied.

"Perhaps you could play it for me?" Shannon asked, a glimmer of hope shining in her beautiful eyes.

"Er..." Tommy stammered, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

"Come on, I'm just one person. I promise, it'll be like I'm not even there," Shannon added, sensing his discomfort.

"Ah what the hell, all right," Tommy agreed, standing up.

He led her back to his cabin, incredibly grateful to find it vacant of his roommates. He picked up his guitar. It was made of a honey colored wood and had a simple green strap and a brown pick. He slung it over his shoulder and cleared his throat nervously. Shannon nodded for him to go ahead.

"I dedicate this song to a fine young lady," Tommy said, and he began to sing.

_Near 'ta Banbridge town_

_In the County Down_

_On an evening in late July_

_Down a green boreen_

_Ran a fair colleen_

_An' she smiled as she passed me by!_

_..._

_Oh she looked so fair with her strawberry blonde hair_

_'Ta the sparkle in her bright blue eyes_

_Such a winsome elf_

_Had 'ta shake myself_

_Just 'ta see that I was still there!_

_..._

_An' from Bantry Bay_

_In 'ta Derry Quay_

_An' from Galway 'ta Dublin town_

_There's no maid I've seen_

_Like this fair colleen_

_That I met in the County Down!_

_..._

_As she onward sped_

_Sure I shook me head_

_An' I looked with a feeling rare_

_So I said says I to a passerby_

_Who's that maid with the strawberry blonde hair?_

_..._

_An' he smiled at me_

_An' with pride says he_

_That's the gem of old Erin's crown_

_Why that is Shannon O'Neal_

_She has quite the appeal_

_She's the star of the County Down!_

_..._

_An' from Bantry Bay_

_Up 'ta Derry Quay_

_An' from Galway 'ta Dublin town_

_There's no maid I've seen_

_Like this fair colleen_

_That I met in the County Down!_

_..._

_Well I've travelled a bit_

_But was never hit_

_Since me roving career began_

_But fair and square_

_I surrendered there_

_To the charms of Miss Shannon O'Neal_

_Had a heart to let_

_An' no tenant yet_

_Did I meet in a shawl or gown_

_So in she went an' I asked no rent_

_From the star of the County Down!_

_..._

_An' from Bantry Bay_

_In 'ta Derry Quay_

_An' from Galway 'ta Dublin town_

_There's no maid I've seen_

_Like this fair colleen_

_That I met in the County Down!_

_..._

_At the Harvest Fair_

_She'll for sure be there_

_So I dressed in me finest clothes_

_Me shoes shined bright_

_An' me hat on right_

_For the heart of me Irish rose_

_No pipe I'll smoke_

_An' no ox I'll yoke_

_Til' me plow is a rust colored brown_

_Til' me smilin' bride by me own fireside_

_Is the star of the County Down!_

_..._

_An' from Bantry Bay_

_Up 'ta Derry Quay_

_An' from Galway 'ta Dublin town_

_No maid I've seen_

_Like this fair colleen_

_That I met in the County Down!_

Shannon smiled at him as she clapped her hands happily. Tommy grinned nervously and set down his guitar. He walked over to stand in front of her and gently took her hands in his own. He could feel faeries dancing around in the pit of his stomach.

"What did ya think?" he asked her.

"You have a beautiful voice," she told him.

"Kiss me?" he dared.

"Because you're lucky?" she asked.

"'Cause I'm Irish," he said.

"But how different are they really?" Shannon smiled.

"Well I suppose ya could say they're one in the same." Tommy grinned.

"Then I guess I owe you a kiss, Tommy Ryan," Shannon laughed, tilting her head to fit under his chin.

"Yes ya do, Miss Shannon O'Neal," Tommy smirked, leaning forwards until their lips met.

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><p>Please tell me what you think! ;)<p>

Also, if anyone is interested in the non-Shannon centric lyrics to Star of the County Down, there's plenty of versions online!


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